Flue construction for vehicles.



PATENTED AUG. 9, 1904.

H. III-1MP. FLUE CONSTRUCTION FOR VEHICLES.

APPLIUATIOIT FILED DEC- 2. 1901.

H0 MODEL.

Fig.2.

witnesses:

1w or e Ta um, i

. UNITED STATES Patented August 9, 1904.

PATENT OEEIcE,

ASSIGNMENTS, TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A

TION OF NEW YORK.

CORPORA- FLUE CONSTRUCTION FOR VEHICLES- SPEGIFIGATION forming part ofLetters Patent N0. 767,072, dated August 9, 1904.

. Application filed December 2, 1901. Serial No. 84,326. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN LEMr, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Flue Construction forVehicles, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to improve the flue constructionof steam-propelled. vehicles, and the scope of my invention will be morefully described and claimed hereinafter.

1n the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of myinvention, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a steam-propelled vehicle,showing the boiler and engine in elevation. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionof the boiler, taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 3 is a plan view ofthe boiler with certain of the parts broken away.

Referring to Fig. 1, 1 represents the steering-wheels, and 2 thedriving-wheels. An engine 3 is suitably supported from the framework 1.The latter also supports the boiler 55. The boiler, which is inclosed inthe body 6, is of the flash type and consists of a .coil of pipe 7. Inso far as the operation of my invention is concerned the boiler may beof any other desired character. The tubes are inclosed in a casing 8,containing perforations 9 to permit the air to enter and mingle with thelire-gases, as is indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2. The interior of thecasing is lined with heat-resistingmaterial 10-such, for example, asasbestos. The top of the casing is provided with a cover 11, whichcontains a chamber into which the exhaust steam passes from the engine3. The object of this chamber is to reheat the exhaust, so as to renderit invisible,or practically so, at ordinary tempcratures. On the top aretwo similar projections 12 and 13 for admitting steam to the chamber.Under ordinary conditions of running only one steam inlet is necessary,in which case the second opening is closed with a plug. In the drawingsthe projection 12 is shown as being connected with the exhaust from theengine by the pipe 14, while the projection 13 is closed by a suitableplug. Situated at the front end of the boiler or at any other convenientpoint is a flue 15, which extends downwardly toward the road-bed and isopen only at its lower end. The upper end of the flue is closed and isriveted to the cover 11, and the lower end is secured to theboilercasing by a bracket 16. Communication between the upper end of theflue and the interior of the boiler-casing is established by a shorthorizontal fine 17 Extending into the upper end of the flue is a shortsteam-nozzle 18, which communicates with a small chamber 19, the latterbeing in open communication with the chamber in the cover through aseries of small holes or passages 20. These small passages serve toreduce the noise of the exhaust, and as the latter passes down throughthe nozzle 18 it creates a suction through the short horizontal flue 17,which draws the firegases from the interior of the boiler-casing andprojects them downwardly toward the road-bod. I have referred to the useof the exhaust-steam for creating this downdraft; but it is of courseevident that direct steam can be employed, if so desired. Theverticallyextending fine and the transversely-extending short line 17,together with the steam-jet 18, constitute a means for creating a forceddraft.

Situated at the rear of the vehicle and preferably as faraway from theseat possible, so as not to annoy the occupants, is a flue 21 for thenatural draft,which is open atboth ends. This flue is connected with theinterior of the boiler-casing by a short transverse, flue 22. The lines21 and 22 constitute a means for creating a natural draft, and when thevehicle is standing still or running under only a moderate forced draftcertain of the products of combustion will pass from the burner throughthe line 22 and upwardly into the flue 21, escaping at a point back ofthe seat. The upper end of the flue 21 passes through the top plate 23of the body. For the purpose of natural draft it would be suiflicient ifthe flue 21 was closed at its lower end; but at times the wind wouldblow into the upper end and create what is called a back draft. In otherwords, the wind blowing into the flue passes into the boiler-casing andtends to check or spread the burner-flame or in some cases to do both.In some instances the effect of this back draft is great enough to causethe burner-flame to spread laterally and set fire to the vehicle-body.To obviate this, crossflues have been attached to the upwardly-extendingnatural flue. The use of this crossflue is objectionable, as it tends toobstruct the outward passage of gas and collects soot. It also detractsfrom the appearance of the carriage as a whole. I have found that byproviding a flue which is open at both ends and connecting it by atransverse flue at a point intermediate its ends all tendency of theback draft to check and spread the burnerflame is obviated. As shown, ablast of air can blow up or down through the flue and not cause theburner-flame to spread. In event of a protracted blast of air passingthrough the flue 21 either from the top or bottom it will increase theeffect of the natural draft by creating a suction. Thus I am enabled totake advantage of what is ordinarily considered as a disadvantage.

The burner may be of any suitable construction, as it forms no part ofthe present invention. The one shown in the drawings consists of anozzle 26, abaflle-plate 24:, and a vaporizer 25. This burn er forms thesubjectmatter of a separateapplication.

When the vehicle is standing still or moving slowly or when little or nosteam is being consumed, the products of combustion will pass upwardbetween the boiler-tubes, through the flue 21, and out of its upper end.The fire-gases do not come into direct contact with all of thetube'sections under such conditions; but of course they are allsubjected to high temperatures. When, however, the vehicle is startedinto operation and steam passes through the chamber in the cover 11 andout through the passages 20 and nozzle 18, a suction is created inthedownwardlyopening flue 15, which creates a forceddraft and sucks theburned products of combustion from the boiler-casing and projects themtoward the road-bed. Under this condition practically all of thefire-gases are shunted past the opening of flue 22, and all of thetube-sections will be subjected to the intense heat of the fire-gases,thereby increasing the steam production. By placing the flue 15 at apoint opposite the flues 21 and 22 I am enabled to take virtually all ofthe waste products of combustion away from the flue 21 and project themdownwardly toward the roadbed in such manner that they will not beobjectionable to the occupants of the vehicle. It is evident, of course,that more or less of the advantages of my construction will follow wherethe flue 15 is placed on one of the sides of the boiler-casing or at therear in proximity to the natural-draft flue, and I aim to embrace suchan arrangement in the claims.

It will be noted that the transverse flue 17 is situated in a planesomewhat above that of the transverse fine 22. This'arrangement I havefound to be a satisfactory one, for when the vehicle is standing idleand little or no steam is passing through the engine the demand of theboiler is light, and hence it is desirable to shunt all or a portion ofthe gases around certain of the tube-sections ofthe boiler; but when thedemand for steam is heavy and a forced draft is employed all of theproducts of combustion will pass between the convolutions of the boilerand out through the flue 17 into the downwardly-opening flue 15.

I have shown the flues as extending parallel with the boiler-casing; butin cases where it is more convenient they may be inclined more or lesswith respect thereto.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I havedescribed the principle of operation of my invention, together with theapparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof;but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merelyillustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is

1. In combination, a boiler, a burner therefor, a casing for both, aflue open from end to end arranged exterior of the casing, and means ofcommunication between the casing andh flue arranged intermediate theends of eac Y 2. In combination, a boiler, a burner therefor, a casingfor both, and a flue having separate outlets to the atmosphere andconnected I at a medial point with the side of the casing forcommunication with the interior thereof.

3. In combination, a boiler, a burner therefor, a casing for both havingan outlet remote from the burner and another outlet less remote from theburner and below the top of the boiler, a forced-draft flue for theformer outlet, and a natural-draft flue for the latter outlet.

4:. In combination, a boiler, a burner therefor, a casing for bothhaving an outlet at the top and another outlet in its side arranged in aposition intermediate the top and bottom of the boiler, a forced-draftflue for the top outlet adapted to control the fire-gases to heat theentire boiler, and an end-to-end-open natural-draft flue for the sideoutlet whereby the fire-gases may effectively heat only a portion of theboiler.

5. In combination, a boiler, a. burner arranged in cooperative relationthereto, a casing for the boiler and burner, a vertical flue open atboth ends, a transverse flue connecting the vertical flue with theinterior of the casing, and a second flue closed at' its upper end tothe atmosphere and open to the interior of the casing.

6. In combination, a boiler, a burner ar ranged in cooperative relationtherewith, a boiler-casing, a flue open at its ends, a transverse flueconnecting the first flue with the boiler-casing at points intermediatethe ends of the former and the top and bottom of the latter, and a flueindependent of the others communicating at one end with the interior ofthe casing at the top thereof and open to the atmosphere at the otherend at a point adjacent the bottom of the casing.

7. In combination, a boiler, a burner arranged in cooperative relationto the same, a casing for the boiler and burner, and separate exteriorvertical flues, one flue being open to the atmosphere at top and bottomand in communication with the interior of the casing intermediate itsopen ends, and the other flue being open to the atmosphere at its lowerend and. in communication with the interior of the casing at its upperend and at a point in the casing higher than that of the other flue.

8. In combination, a boiler, a burner arranged in cooperative relationto the same, a casing for the boiler and burner, two independent flues,one arranged to draw the lire-gases through the boiler and out of thecasing from the space above the boiler and discharging the fire-gasesunder the casing, and the other flue being arranged to draw thefire-gases through a portion of the boiler and discharging themupwardly, and means connected with the latter flue for preventing backcurrents of the gases from the flue to enter the boiler or easing.

9. In combination, a boiler, a burner therefor, a casing for both, avertical flue having its ends open to the atmosphere, a transverse flueconnecting the vertical flue with the easing, a second vertical flueopen to the atmosphere only at its bottom, a second transverse flueconnecting the second vertical flue with the casing at a point above thefirst transverse flue, and a nozzle for directing steam into the secondvertical flue for discharging the tiregases through the same instead ofthrough the first vertical flue.

10. In combination, aboiler, a burner therefor, a casing forboth closedto the atmosphere at the top and having air-inlet openings at thebottom, a vertical flue open to the atmosphere at its ends andcommunicating with the casing, a second vertical flue havingcommunication at its upper end with the interior of the cas ing at apoint nearer the top than the point of communication between the firstvertical flue and the casing, a chamber in the casing for reheatingsteam, and a nozzle for discharging steam from the chamber into thesecond vertical flue to create a forced draft through the boiler andeasing.

11. In combination, aboiler, a burner therefor, a casing inclosing eachand having means for admitting air to the burner, a flue having openends,a second flue having one end open and the other closed directly tothe atmosphere, and a connecting-flue between each of said lines andeasing, one connecting-flue affording communication between theuppermost portion of the casing and the closed end of the second flue,and the other connectingflue aflording communication between the firstflue and an intermediate portion of the casing.

12. In combination, a boiler, a burner therefor, a casing for both, twovertically-disposed flues, one at the rear of the casing and the otherat the front thereof, said rear flue being open at its ends and incommunication with the interior of the casing at its middle and. saidfront flue being open at its lower end and communicating with theinterior of the casing at its upper end, and the means for dischargingsteam into the front flue for creating a forced draft through thecasing.

13. A casing for a boiler, comprising a shell closed directly to theatmosphere except for air-inlet openings at its lower portion, andexterior flues communicating with the interior of the casing one at thetop and the other at a medial point, the latter flue being open at bothends and the former being open only at one end to the H-tIIlOSDllGlG.

14. A casing for a boiler, comprising a shell closed directly to theatmosphere except for air-inlet openings at the bottom thereof, twovertical lines substantially the height of the casing, one being open tothe atmosphere at both ends and the second one being open to theatmosphere only at its lower end, a transverse connecting-flueconnecting the first vertical flue with the casing at a point somedistance below the top of the casing, and a second transverse flueconnecting the second vertical flue with the casing on the side oppositethe other vertical flue and at the top of the casing.

15. A casing for a boiler comprising a shell closed directly to theatmosphere except for air-inlet openings at the bottom thereof, twovertical flues substantially the height of the casing, one being open tothe atmosphere at both ends and the second one being open to theatmosphere only at its lower end, a transverse connecting-flueconnecting the first vertical flue with the casing at a point somedistance below the top of the casing, a second transverse flueconnecting the second vertical flue with the casing on the side oppositethe other vertical flue and at the top of the easing, a chambersupported at the top of the casing, and means communicating between thechamber and the upper end of the second vertical flue.

16. In combination, aboiler, aburner therefor, means for controlling theburner for heating a portion of the boiler, and means adaptthe heatingof the entire boiler.

17 In combination, a boiler, a burner there- 19. In combination,aboiler, a burner therefor, means for controlling the heating of theentire boiler, and means exerting a constant tendency to heating aportion of the boiler to the exclusion of the other portion and renderedoperative when the first means is idle.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day ofNovember, 1901.

HERMANN LEMP. Witnesses:

ALEX. F. MACDONALD, DUGALD MoK. HOKILLOP.

